How to create a gallery wall
Though curating a gallery wall with your most-loved artworks is a joyful task, it can be a challenge to strike the right balance between perfectly homely and a museum-worthy masterpiece. But any expert curator will tell you that an exhibition is simply telling a story, and every piece of art you choose to display is a chapter in that story.
In this guide, we have gathered some of our best picture wall ideas and advice so that you can tell your own unique tale. Just remember though, your life isn’t a permanent display. There are no hard-and-fast rules, so feel free to switch up the look when your style and creative influences change. That way you’ll always feel inspired.
1 Find your gallery wall theme
Before you start making holes in the walls, take inventory of what you have to work with by photographing each piece and arranging them into a mood board. This will help you visualise how it will look together.
With the images in front of you, look for the common threads that create a unifying theme. They can be as abstract as you like, but by doing so you’ll find the collection feels natural and cohesive.
2 Be inspired by your interior style
Alternatively, start with your furniture as the main inspiration. If the space you’ve designated for your art collection sits above a favourite sideboard, sofa or console table, use this to guide your gallery wall style. A colourful cabinet could be the starting point for a series of vibrant prints. Or a minimalist sofa against a white wall can be the ideal neutral background to showcase an eclectic mix of art.
3 Decide where to begin
When it comes to choosing which piece to hang first, why not start with the biggest? If you are feeling intimidated by the blank page in front of you, a large canvas in the centre of the wall will quickly break up the space and provide something for you to work around.
4 How to arrange pictures on a wall
Next, put some thought and time into choosing the layout for your unique pieces. Multiples of the same or similar artwork will bring uniformity back to an otherwise busy space. Stack them vertically above one another, horizontally in a row, or either side of your largest print to create a sense of balance.
5 Shine a light on the artist
The finest museum curators will tell you that lighting is key when it comes to showcasing artwork. Each piece needs to be perfectly lit so that the audience can best enjoy and observe it the way the artist intended. Incorporate lighting into your chosen theme, like an animal-shaped picture wall light in a botanical art collection, and it will make the entire display feel unique to you.
6 Add mirrors into the mix
Match the colour, depth or material of the mirrors to the picture frames you are displaying to lend your gallery wall a sense of cohesion. You can also try positioning a mirror on the opposite wall to a favourite piece – that way it can be enjoyed twice over.
7 Remember, there’s no right way to curate a gallery wall
Unless you go for the same frame sizes, no gallery wall will slot together perfectly – and that’s fine by us. Make the most of those awkward spaces with miniature works of art in the gaps.
We hope you are now ready to take on the challenge of curating a gallery wall of your own. For more artistic inspiration, discover which modern art movement suits your personality on our Pinterest.